The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-04-27


was now in the rocking, swaying car,
and STOPPING down, ascertained that
the bags of ballast, the coil of spare rope,
the flags and telescope were at my feet;
then I assured myself that the grapnel
was provided with its tough cord, and
then the whizz of rocket, and de-
scending shower of colored spangles of
ere gave warning note of preparation.
More rockets now scared aloft, amidst
the huzzas of the crowd, and then,
springing from the driving-seat of
| light open carriage drawn by d gray
horse, there appeared the figure of
stout, well-dressed man, who elbowed
mis- way so quickly through the throng
hat / had scarcely time to conjecture
hat this must be the volunteer COM
oanion of my aerial voyage, M. Victor
lie Villeneuve, before he scrambled into
The car and was at my side.
"Allons, let go, mes braves p he cried
n sharp, imperious tone to the men
who held the ropes. "Bas les cordes,
10 you hear?"
A voice raised in accents of command
seldom fails of its effect, however ques-
tionable may be the right of him who up
lifts it, and the men addressed, in their
establishment, mechanically obeyed. The
balloon rose a little, nothing now re-
straining its upward flight save the trig-
ger-cord, firmly moored to post below,
the spring being in my grasp.
"Montons, camarade off we goi ex-
| claimed the passenger, with a jovial
laugh that had scarcely the ring of honest
mirth in it
| Perhaps NJ. de Yilleneuve. for all his
| staggering department, was i'll at ease as
to the results of our voyage, and strove
| to carry 1t off gayly; such were my
thoughts as the Catherine wheels began
| to revolve in cascades of whirling fire,
and the crowd to cheer. 1t was the mo-
ment for our start, but hesitated to pull
| the trigger, for now a strange hustle and
| confusion below attracted my attention.
A mounted gendarme, his sabre and
carbine clanking, had ridden up at the
| full gallop of his reeking horse, followed
| at distance by three others, who spurred
furiously forward. There were few
hurried questions, then a smothered out
cry, roar of voices, and a swaying
backward and forward of the excited
populace
looked down at the crowd of up.
turned faces.
"Stopl stopl Au nom de la loi Eng
lishman, stayP cried out the brigadier OF
the foot-police.
Let go, foolp Numbered the man
who sat beside me in the car.
But it is the police that began,
thinking that M. de Villeneuve had sud
denly taken leave of his senses.
"Come down. stop-haul the roper
was the shout from below; but as the
words reached my ear, my companion
bent forward Something flashed in
his hand-a dagger-knife-and the cord
was cut, and the balloon darted upward.
| I'm the name of the law-ahi you
won'tp cried gendarme, discharging his
carbine, an example that was followed by
his comrades; but the balls whistled idly
by, while we rose and rose, until the inn,
and the gardens, and the shouting crowd
and the spluttering fireworks, had dimin.
ished to pigmy size, and presently disap-
peared altogether, and the balloon rode
on, solitary, through the fields of air.
"a nous deux, maintcnantp said NJ. de
Villeneuve, with chuckle that was in
comprehensive to me. "a singular sa.
lutte our friends gave us, eh, when they
babe us bon voyageY"
The moon, half full, had now risen,
and / could see the face of my compan-
ion-the swarthy, keen face of a man
| forty years of age, with short, dark hair,
slightly grizzled, fiery black eyes and
very white, strong, sharp-pointed teeth,
which gave him, when he smiled, some
what the expression of laughing wolf.
he E ifsgas % "a s af n9wsFfq frame and
now laid .upon my arm were as strong
and supple as steel.
"Avow," said this strange passenger,
with grin that an ogre might have
envied, "Avow that you take me for
! queer specimen of the French provincial
! gentry, helm But first, how comes it
that the pere Killick is absent, and a
blanc-bec of your age has the honor to
be my pilot ?'
told him briefly and in offended tones
| what had occurred, and how it was that
he and / found ourselves together so far
above terra firma, at the same time eau
tioning him not, as he had done before, to
take IL on himself to interfere with the
management of the balloon"
"We must now," / added, 'look out for
a place to descend, for the wind is fresh
ening, and"
"Let it freshenp' rudely interrupted
| M. de Villeneuve. "Sets fair for Spain,
| does it mott"
For Spain?" | echoed in surprise.
| Could this self-conceited country gentle
man really deem that we were bound on
such journey as that? could not
help laughing, as said, why for Spain,
monsieur?"
"Well, Italy would have served me
as we'll, had the wind been west
erly one. talk both languages
equally, and know every wine-shop in
Caiiz as well as l do those of Genoa"
answered M. de Villeneuve, again chuck
ling "Ha, lad what are you about
that you finger that roper
II am opening the valve above" l an
swered, coldly, because 1t is time now
to sink to lower level, and descend"
Descend, eh :" briskly put in my fell
| low-voyager. 1--WE may as well under
stand each other at once. Hands off The
rope, say, if you would keep the roof
on your skull, he added, threateningly,
as he drew revolver from within his
waistcoat, and deliberately pointed the
barrel at my head; "Tll show you who's
captain up here"
My brain rceled, and my blood ran
cold, as the horrible thought flashed
upon me that was, at that fearful height
above the earth, in company with mad
man. Nothing, surely, save insanity,
could account for the extraordinary be-
havior of M. de Villeneuve. But l sup
pose put tolerably good countenance
on the matter, for my formidable com
panion laughed again, but less ill-natur-
eddy, as he said
"You face II out well, boy | like
youngster who shows heart somewhat
bigger than chickens. And Pm not so
bad as l look-never do this r--he drew
his hand as he spoke edgeways, with
meaning gesture, across his throat
when l can get my little profits by
quieter means But you stare at me as
II l were mountebank selling quack
medicines. Can you guess why those
gendarmes were so peremptory an hour
agos Because they wanted the pleasure
OF my company back to Toulon, that's
all Did you never hear, Angiais, of
Risque-son-cou ?"
"Risque-son-cou ?" repeated, in per-
plexity.
SAY, Pierre Paul Grincheux, If you
please, dit Risque-son-cou," said the man.
with an odd sort of pride; "it's name,
If you read the reports of our tribunals,
that you NAV have met with Toulon